Bottle closing machine



July 4, 1961 E. MULLER BOTTLE CLOSING MACHINE Filed Feb. 18, 1959 5 INVENT QR by g S ATTORNEY r 2,990,932 t I BOTTLE CLOSING MACHINE Erich Miiller, Rothenbach (Pegnitz), Germany, assignor to Keller & Romer G.m.b.H., Numberg, Germany,

Filed Feb. 18, 1959, Ser. No. 793,991 7 Claims. (Cl; 198-24) The invention relates to a bottle closing machine, in particular a crown cork closing machine with automatic bottle feed and the ,problemposed thereby is to design such a machine in a particularly suitable and advantageous manner in order, on the one hand, to eliminate all trouble during operation and, on the other hand, to obtain an increase in output by increasing the working rate.

According to the invention, this problem is solved in that the bottle closing machine is provided with push-in segment which is swung to and fro horizontally and con- -veys a .bottle from time to time from the feed belt to the closing'position and which is provided with a shoe which grips the bottle, the said shoe being itself adjustable in different positions on the segment for the purpose of entrailing bottles of different sizes or different diameters.

Owing to the said adjustable shoe, the use of the machine is not restricted to a certain type or a certain size of bottle, but the machine can be employed for any kind of bottle by making an easily effected alteration of the position of the shoe. The drive of the push-in segment is moreover so arranged that segment swings forward slowly during the pushing of the bottle from. the feed belt to the closing position, that is below or above the die,

while the return movement of the segment takes place substantially more rapidly, so that the output of the machine is increased as compared with arrangements hereto'fore known.

Another object of the invention consists in an arresting hook controlling arrival of the bottles, which book is so subject to the action of the push-in segment that the next bottle is released on the feed belt only during the closing of the preceding bottle. This arresting hook thusprefvents faults in the arrival or entry of the bottles.

' Further advantages of the invention would appear from the embodiment described hereinafter with reference to the drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the bottle closing machine; and

FIGURE 2 is a section through the upper part thereof. I 1 denotes the frame of the machine on which there is a top cover 2. On this cover plate 2 there is provided a conveyor belt 3 for the feed of the bottles to be closed. 4 is the closing position for the bottles and 5 is the pushin segment according to the invention which is swung to and fro by a driving shaft 6. On this segment 5 there is arranged a shoe 7 which is adaptedto be fixed in position by means of screws 8. The shoe is provided with elongated apertures 9 through which the screws 8 pass and by means of these apertures 9 the shoe 7 can be adjusted in different positions, so that, depending upon the adjustment, the shoe can take any bottle, irrespective of its diameter, from the feed belt 3 by means of its nose 10 and push it to the closing position 4.

For controlling the arrival of the bottles, there is provided an arresting hook 11 which is subject, on the one hand, to the action of a spring 12 and, on the other hand, to the action of a pin 13 provided in the segment 5; Also arranged on the push-in segment 5 is an ejector arm 14 which can yield in the direction away from the closing position 4 (spring 15) while it is rigid in the opposite direction.

The arrangement according to the invention operates as follows: In the drawing, the push-in segment 5 is Patented July 4, 1961 the latter swings towards the belt 3 under the action of the. spring 12 and is there positioned in front of the next bottle but one, so that there is actually only one bottle immediately in front of the segment 5. This'segment now seizes this bottle and again pushes it towards the closing position 4, the bottle which has meanwhile been closed.- in this position being pushed out by the ejector arm 14. During this forward movement of the segment 5, the pin 13 therein again acts on the arresting hook 11 and swings this against the action of the spring 12 away from the belt 3, so that the next bottle can move forwardly The cycle recommences afresh as described.

As already mentioned, the return movement of the segment 5 takes place considerably more rapidly than the forward movement, so that the working rate of the machine according to the invention is very high. The further advantage consists in that the push-in segment is adapted to be hinged upwardly about a spindle 16. This,

on the one hand, facilitates the cleaning of the machine to an exceptional extent and, on the other hand, means a protection when trouble occurs, such as, for example,

rection away from said transporting portion and being spaced from the same, said feeding'rneans being mounted -on said table for horizontal reciprocating movement 'in -,a forward stroke in said one direction with said arm lead- .ing said transporting portion during movement from a first position in which said transporting portion and said arm are located on opposite sides of said area of said table, and said feeding means is disposed for stopping and engaging with said transporting portion the leading object supplied by said-conveyor means to said area, to a 'secondposition for placing the object at said operating station, said arm passing across said station during said dorwardstroke to eject an object from the same, and in a return stroke in opposite direction during which said arm passes across said station and yields in said one direction when engaging the object at said station.

2. In a bottle-closing machine, in combination, a table having an operating station for closing bottles where the bottles are held during an operation and are then released; conveyor means for supplying bottles to said table at an area spaced from said station; a feeding means including a rigid transporting portion and a spring-loaded ejector arm yieldable only in one direction away from said transporting portion and being spaced from the same, said feeding means being turnably mounted on said table for horizontal reciprocating movement in a forward stroke in said one direction with said arm leading said transporting portion during movement from a first position in which said transporting portion and said arm are located on opposite sides of said area of said table, and said feeding means is disposed for stopping and engaging with said transporting portion the leading bottle supplied by said conveyor means to said area, to a second position for placing the bottle at said operating station, said arm passing across said station during said forward stroke to eject a released bottle from the same, and in a return stroke in opposite direction during which said arm passes across said station and resiliently yields in said one direction when engaging a held bottle at said station.

3. ,In abottle-closing machine, in combination, a table having an operating station for closingbottles where the bottles are held during an operation and are then released; conveyor means for supplying bottlesto said 'table at an area spaced from said station; a-feeding 'means 'in- ,cluding arigid segment-shaped main portion, a rigidtrans- P rting portion adjustably mounted on said main portion .for defining with the. same different spaces corresponding to different bottles, and a spring-loaded ejector arm mounted on said main portion yieldable only in one di- *rection away from said transporting portion and being spaced'from the-same, said -main portion of saidfeeding -meansbeing turnably mounted on said table for horizontal reciprocating movement in aforward stroke in :said one directionwith said arm leading-said transporting portion during'movement from a first position in which 'said transporting portion and said arm arelocated on opposite sides of said .area of said table, and saidfeeding means is disposed for stopping and engaging with said transporting portion the leading bottle supplied by said conveyor "means to said area, to a second position for placing the ibottleat said operatingstatiomsaid arm passing across saidzstatiomduringsaid forward stroke to eject a-released bottlefrom the same, and in a return stroke in opposite :zdlIBCiiQIl. during .which said arm passesacross saidstation .and resilientlyyields in saidone direction when engaging :a held bottle, at said station.

4. :Inamachine ofzthe type described, in combination, ,a table :having an operating-station forobjectsg, conveyor means for supplying objects to said table. at-anarea spaced from said station; a spring-loaded separator ,member .mounted on said ;table ;movable between :an inoperative ;position and an operative position located ,in .the region 'of ,said conveyor means for separating the :leading. object -fromthe following object;;a feeding means including a rigid {transporting portion :and an ejector arm yieldable .only in one (direction away from said :said transporting ,portion and :being spaced from the same, .said feeding :means being mounted 'on said table for horizontal re- -cipro.cating movement ;in a forward stroke in said ,one direction :withssaid arm leadingzsaid -transporting .Eportion duringmovement'from a'first position in whichsaidmansporting portion and said armare located onopposite sides ,of said area :of said table,. and said ifee'ding means is disposed :for stopping andengaging -Wlth said:transporting portion toa second position forplacing the object at:said .operating station, said arm passing across said station during said forward stroke to eject an object from the -same,-and in a return-stroke inopposite directionduring which said arm passes across said station and yields in said one direction when engaging the objectat-said station, said feeding means engaging said separator member during said forward stroke to effect movement of said separator member to said inoperative position, and releasing said separatormember during .said return stroke so .thatsaid separator member moves to said operative .posi- .tion.

5. In a bottle-closing machine, in combination astable having an .operating station for closing bottles where the bottles are held during anoperation and are then released; conveyor means for supplying bottles to said table at an-area'spaced from said station; a'spring-loaded separator member mounted on said 'table movable between an inoperative position and an operative position locate'd in' the region of said conveyor means'for separating'the leading bottle from the following object; a'feeding means including a rigid transporting portion and bottle ejector arm yieldable only in one direction away from said transporting-portion and being spaced from the same, saidfeeding means 'being-turnablyimounted on said table forhorizontal reciprocating movementin a forward stroke in said one direction' with-said arm leadingsaidtransportingportion during movement from a first position inwhich saidtransportingportion and said arm are located onopposite sidesofsaid areaof said table, and said :feeding .means is disposed for stopping and engaging with said :transportingtportion-the leading bottle supplied'by said .conveyor :means to said area, to a second position for iplacing the :bottle at said operating station, said arm passing. across .said station during said forward stroke :to; eject a: released bottle -from1the same, and in a return strokekinropposite direction during which said arm passes tacrossasaid, station resiliently and yields in said one direction when-engaging-a held bottle at said station, said :feeding means engaging-said separator member during said forward stroke ,to {effect movement of said separator member -to :said :inoperative position, and releasing .said separator member during said return strokeso that said "separator member moves to said operative position.

6. A machine as set forth -in claim 2 and-including hinge means .for mounting saidfeeding means on said itableturnable about a horizontal axis.

'7. A'machine asset ,forthin claim 2 and including a vertical drive ,shaft connected to said feeding means for .reciproeating. the same,1saidshaft turning=slower in said one direction and faster in said opposite direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

